Metal balustrade



Aug. 7, 1951 Filed April 15, 1946 F. L. HAWKINS 2,563,529 METAL BALUSTRADE 2 Sheets-Sheet l- INVENTOR. /Z FLOYD L. HAWKINS ATTORNEY Aug. 7, 1951 F. 1.. HAWKINS METAL BALUSTRADE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 13, 1946 Patented Aug. 7, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OF FI-CE 7 Claims.

This invention. relates toan ornamental metal b ustrade and has for. an obiectthe prov sion of an article of the character designated which. ma be cut and fitted on the job from standard prefabricated members, by semiskilled labor and which when erected will have theappearance of a balustrade which has been cut and made for the, particular location.

A further object of myinvention is to provide an ornamental balustrade which shall be construoted from rails and connecting elements which may be readily put together and secured with bolts and set screws, the rails being out on the'jobtofit the particular location. 7

. As is well known in the art to Which my in- 1 5 where the balustrade is to be installed and taking go careful measurements. He then returns to his shop and the Balustrade isfabricated and carried to the place where it is. to be erected. This requires vry careful, skillful workmanship, and

considerable time. These difiiculties are avoided g 3. nd 4 co p ses two pi es. namely an u e by means of my invention in which the rails of the balustrade are shaped and made of indeterminate lengths whereby they may be cut and- .fitted for length onthe job. The rails include iniproved means for joiningthem to the pickets or balusters, and. the pickets. are especially designed for coupling to the rails. Posts are provided for the terminals and at intermediate points, and connectors are employed which may be readily attached to the rails.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention nectlon of an end fitting to a post;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, taken along line IVIV of Fig. 1 and showing the intermediate support for the upper rail;

Figs. 5 and Bare fragmentary detail views showing the upper end of one oi the pickets or balusters; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the lugs employed for connecting the pickets to the rails;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of Fig. 2' showing the upper tall with a right angle, or corner connector, at one .end, the picket'at the corner being omitted;

. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an end post connec or used where. the. post extends throu h. th

conn t r;

.Fialo is a sectio al. ele at on. showing he l wer rail and its end and interme iate con e ions. t w ing taken. alon line li -X o 2.;

g. l a deta l s c ona View taken a on lin li -X of F 1 a how n an inte med ate c ec on be we n. a host h wer ra l; and

Fi is a etail. se tional. vie tak a on li e II of is. 1a sho ng a orner, or isht ngl onhe or er he o er rail.

R ferrin now to the d awin lor e te und rs nd o invent o m mprove al t mbo ies. an p er. or and i n. a lower rail ll, posts, 13 and I4, ior supporting the rails, and a plurality of pickets [6 connecting the rails. Posts such as I2 areconnected to the ba o s a l andt h upper an er rails. stopping at the upper rails. Posts such as It ar mp oyed for interm di te supp t an are connected to the foundation or stair and to both upper and lower rails in a manner to be described later. The upper rail [0 as may be seen in Figs.

s eeve or channel t which s el l in c ss s t on, nd op n al n s l w r s s. sho n a '19. An inner channel 21 having beaded sides 22 and 23, telescopes within the outer sleeve l8, the headed sides en a i th sides o he open n 19.- The ends of the upperrail 10 are secured tothe posts, such as l2 by an end sleeve fitting 24 which is shaped to fit snugly about the elliptical portion of the hand rail and which is secured thereto by means of hollow head set screws 26. The sides of the fitting 24 are notched out midway the ends as sh wn at so hat. t y may be nt o atcommodate the par u ar angle of the sta rway t w ich the. halust ade is ei g ap e It s c ntemnlated tha the lust de as b en erected, the notches will be filled with a suitable cement and painted over so as not to be noticeab eh channel s c t away n does no extend through the sleeve fitting 24 adjacentthe post" whereby the post I2 enters between the sid s. o the fitt n res s adjac nt he und sid h o and. may be secured thereto by means of aset screw 28, having its head countersunk into he t p o th filt ihe, and being readed into the end of the post.

' Whe e the sup ortin posts, uch as t, e t nd Played. The fitting 3! is shaped like the 24, to fit snugly about the elliptical channel portion l8 of the upper rail and is provided with an opening 32 through which the post l3 extends. The upper portion of the fitting is split at 33 whereby the sides may be turned up with a suitable tool for the post l3 to be slid laterally into the opening 32 and then turned down to secure the post after it has been put in place. The fitting 3| is secured to the hand rail by means of a hollow head set screw 34 and to the posts by means of a similar screw 36.

Where it becomes necessary to support the rails intermediate their ends, I employ a post such as 14 which is connected to the upper rail 10 by means of an intermediate connector 31 which is shaped to fit about the upper rail It and is secured thereto by means of hollow head set screws 38. The connector 3! is provided with depending lugs 39 and 4| which secure the fitting to the upper end of the post l4 by means of fiathead screws 42passing through the lugs 39 and 4| and into the post. Where the upper rails are turned at right angles, as shown in the plan view, Fig. 2, I employ a right angle, or corner fitting 43. The fitting 43 is similar to the fitting 24 in that the ends fit about the elliptical portion of the top rail, but the ends are at right angles to each other a may be seen in Figs. 2 and 8. Also, one end of the fitting 43 may be notched out as shown at 44 to provide for bending it downwardly to connect to the rail ID. The fitting is secured to the rail by 'means of hollow head set screws 46a.

The lower rail H is formed. from a channel 45 with its side flanges 46 and 4'! turned down. It is connected to the end posts l2 by means of a sleeve connector 48 which fits over the rail and is secured thereto by means of a hollow head set screw 49. The connector is notched out intermediate it ends as shown at to'provide for bending. The post 12 passes through an opening l2a in the end of the sleeve connector 48 and is secured thereto by means of a hollow head set screw 50. Where the balustrade is provided with an intermediate support, as by a post I4,

the lower rail 1 l is cut and a sleeve connector 52 is employed into whichthe ends of the rail ll fit. :The post l4 passes through an opening 53 in the connector 52 and is secured thereto by means of a flat head rivet 54 which passes through the connector and the post. The connector is secured to the ends of the rail l by means of hollow head set screw 56.

, Where the lower rail of the balustrade is turned 'at right angles, a corner connector such as 51 isemployed for the lower rail in which the ends are turned at right angles to each other and are secured to the rails II by means of a hollow head set screw 58. An opening 59 is provided in the corner of the connector 51 through which the "post [2 extends. The connector is secured to the post by means of a hollow head set screw The pickets I6 which connect the sloping section of the upper rail ID to the sloping section of the lower rail l l' are secured thereto by means of lugs 62 both at the top and the bottom, which jlugs are provided with cleats 63 which extend upwardly through openings 64 in the web of the 4 tively to secure them to the lugs. It will thus be apparent that the use of the lugs 62 permits the use of pre-beveled pickets within a wide range of slopes for the upper and lower rails. Since the lugs are pivoted to the pickets by the rivets 68 and 69 they form a flexible connection, thereby eliminating the necessity of having to bevel the upper and lower ends of the pickets to the exact slope of the upper and lower rails for the particular installation. 1

Where the upper and lower rails are horizontal, the lugs 62 are preferably not used, the pickets being square cut on the ends and secured to the upper and lower rails in any suitable manner.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the newel posts of my improved balustrade are formed by a plurality of pickets H which are joined at their upper and lower ends to rail sections 12 and 13. The upper rail section is formed similarly to the outerelliptical channel l8 of the upperhand rail. The lower 'rail section 13 is formed of a piece of channel iron, similar to the channel 45, and :the picket "H passes upwardly through an opening 73a in the base of the channel forming the lower section 13'and into the opening I9 defined by the lower inturned' ends of the channel section I2. 7

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that my improved balustrade may be fitted and erected on the job by providing rail sections-W0 and l I of indeterminate length and the necessary fittings described hereinbefore for connecting the rail sections and the pickets. I have'thusprovided an ornamental metal balustrade which is simple of design, easy of manufacture and erection, and by means of which the expense of such a balustrade may be greatly reduced. 7

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications; without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire; therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims. WhatIclaim'is:' V 1. In a metal balustrade, alower rail, an upper rail comprising an inner inverted channel member, an outer cover telescoping over the channel member, picket securing lugs carried by the inverted channel member on the side facing the lower rail, and picket securing means carried by the lowerrail.

2. In a metal balustrade, a lower rail, an upp r rail comprising an invertedchann'el member, an outer cover telescoping over the channel member, picket securing lugs carried by thefiinverted channel member on the; side facing the lower rail,

' picket securing means carried bylthe loiwer rail,

and a sleeve fitting over and secured to said outer cover. J i

3. In a metal. balustrade; a lower rail comprising' a channel member, anupperrail comprising an outer member elliptical in cross section with an'opening along its side facing the lower rail, 9. channel member fitting in'the opening and secured to the ellipticalmember, there being vertically aligned openingsin the channel members of the upper and lower rails, and opposed picket lugs carried by thechannel members of the upper and lower rails andhaving portions projecting into the openings in the channel members of. the upper and lower rails. v v

4. In a metal balustradega lower rail comprising achannel member, anup'per rail comprising an outer member elliptical in cross section with an opening along its side facing the lower rail, a channel member fitting in the opening and having lateral flanges with beads engaging the sides of the opening, and opposed picket lugs carried by the channel members of the upper and lower rails, said lugs carried by the upper channel mem-- ber being disposed in substantial alignment with the longitudinal center line of the opening in the elliptical member.

5. In a metal balustrade, a lower rail comprising a channel member, an upper rail comprising an outer member elliptical in cross section with an opening along its side facing the lower rail, a channel member fitting in the opening and having lateral flanges with beads engaging the sides of the opening, opposed picket lugs carried by the channel members of the upper and lower rails, and sleeve members fitting over the ends of the rails and having post receiving openings therein.

6. A balustrade as defined in claim 5 in which the sides of the sleeve members are notched out to permit bending.

7. In a metal balustrade, a lower rail comprising a channel member, an upper rail comprising an outer member elliptical in cross section with an opening along its side facing the lower rail, a

6 channel member fitting in the opening and secured thereto, and opposed lugs carried by the channel members and having a transverse opening therein, the pickets being pivotally connected 5 to the lugs and having their ends cut to the approximate angle of the rails.

FLOYD L. HAWKINS.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Number Name Date 112,887 Bent Mar. 21, 1871 2101526 Hanson Dec. 3, 1878 293,673 Rogers Feb. 19, 1884 367,971 Hanson Aug. 9, 1887 1,376,150 Miller Apr. 26, 1921 1,541,571 Hughes June 9, 1925 1,791,680 Miller Feb. 10, 1931 2,159,651 Ewing Mar. 14, 1939 25 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 45,118 Netherlands Feb. 15, 1939 

